Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 2.24.23
Hello my friends! Lee Sanders here on this awesome Friday as I hope you all been well. We have a jam packed edition of AEW RAMPAGE and we need it right now considering the debacle that went down with Tony Khan’s HUUUUUUUUGE ANNOUNCEMENT from DYNAMITE. Seriously, I wish the announcement would’ve been for an AEW streaming service or for the video game. It is what is is folks! Meantime, if you didn’t get a chance do check out my conversation with WOW WOMEN OF WRESTLING’s own Foxxy Fierce from earlier this week. It was a great back and fourth as you can check out highlights and the video here by clicking this link. Meantime, onwards to AEW RAMPAGE!
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Chris Jericho, and Tony Schiavone
MATCH 1: YOUNG BUCKS VS AUSSIE OPEN
Diving crossbody by Nick Jackson onto both members of Aussie Open to open this match up. Both Bucks come in with some double team action on both Aussies outside the ring as Kenny Omega looks on in approval. Mark Davis is tagged in now as he connects with a scoop and slam, followed by a double slam on both Young Bucks. Lateral press only gets Davis a two count as Nick tags in Matt as the Bucks connect with some double team action to send Davis out the ring. Aussie Open plant both Bucks on the side apron, back first! Around the bend occurs as Aussie Open delivers some showboating by running each Buck member in their hands and ramming them into each other, back first for an insane collision!
We’re back as the action is inside the ring again. Davis is the legal man he’s been delivering chops to the chest of Nick Jackson! It’s been sounding like a tree getting cut down and dropping, or like a firecracker going off! Matt gets a hot tag as he’s taking it to Fletcher with a clothesline from the ropes. Scoop slam to Fletcher as it seemed Matt was maybe going to climb up the turnbuckle for a moonsault. Instead, Matt decides to deliver a diving crossbody onto Davis! Matt quickly goes to the top and delivers an elbow to Fletcher for a near fall! Fletcher sandwiched by Matt and Nick Jackson now to setup another pin attempt that is interrupted by Davis. Nick applies a face buster to Davis and misses a back moonsault spot onto Fletcher as Fletcher applies a brain buster on the outside! Back inside the ring now, as Aussie Open are delivering a serious beating on Nick Jackson. Somehow Nick kicks out after receiving an onslaught of a beating. Fletcher with a kick to the face as Nick counters Fletcher’s attempt to ground him from the top rope by giving him a cutter. It’s the opener Nick needed as he makes the tag to his brother! Several miscues by both teams until Bucks connect with a double kick super party on Fletcher. Bucks miss the BTE special as Aussie Open deliver a stereo set of clotheslines as all four men lay helpless. Nick and Fletcher exchange strikes when Matt is tagged in. Both brothers do some high flying moves onto both members of Aussie Open when the lights go out for five seconds. When the lights come back on we see Matt Jackson is given a piledriver. This match seemed to be over as Aussie Open double team on Matt when somehow the Young Buck kicks out! Davis gets in there and is superkicked, meanwhile, Bucks setup Davis to hold Fletcher in a piledriver position while Bucks kick at Davis’ ankles to fall, piledriving his partner in the process! Stereo superkick follows on Davis as Fletcher is setup for the BTE trigger for the victory.
Winners: Young Bucks (18:00)
Rating: ***
I am somewhat familiar with Aussie Open and have seen them in action before. They are an awesome tag team and this was a great match to open RAMPAGE. Where the problem lies is that we have seen this team sparingly and without hype or build up. To my point, this match really was for the hardcore fan who knows their wrestling. If you don’t know anything about Aussie Open, hopefully this made you at least interested enough to seek more footage of them online.
Post-match the lights go off once again but when they come back on, House of Black surrounds the ring. The lights go off again and when they come back on, House of Black have made their exit.
Backstage, Lexi is interviewing Best Friends when Big Bill or Big Will or Cass or CassXL, jump Best Friends and Best them down viciously.
MATCH 2: TONY STORM VS WILLOW NIGHTINGALE
Nice series of clotheslines and a running senton onto Toni Storm as the fans are chanting Willow on. Hard right chops to the chest of Storm as she also eats a double-handed chop. Toni digs her fingers into the face and hair of Willow which is a great setup for the hip attack as Willow bounces off the ropes, and to the outside. Saraya looks on in approval while Storm rams Willow into the barricades as we go into our next set of ad breaks. We’re back as Willow takes another hip attack by Storm as Storm applies a ddt. Cover attempt made as somehow Willow was able to kick out. Willow charges at Toni with a cannonball, followed by a Death Valley driver for a near fall. Saraya has seen enough as she gets on the rope to distract Willow. Willow tosses her in the ring as Storm takes advantage with the storm zero to end this one.
Winners: Toni Storm (7:00)
Rating: **
Always awesome seeing Willow on tv but she mostly was taking a beating during this match. She got in a little bit of offense here and there but most of this match involved her selling to Toni Storm. Even during the commercial break aka Picture in Picture break, Willow was getting owned. I think it’s funny how Ruby and Jamie didn’t come out until after Willow lost. Not during her match, nope! Too good for that! They came out afterwards…
Post-match, Saraya and Toni try to spray paint Willow when Jamie Hayter and Ruby Soho come out for the save.
Footage is shown of Jade Cargill hyping up how she is 53-0 and that she is a star. She welcomes all competition to step up to the plate. Might this be Jade’s way of issuing a challenge for AEW REVOLUTION?
MATCH 3: LANCE ARCHER VS CREATED WRESTLER #41
And with a diving cross body by the big man, followed up with a lariat, this one is over.
Winners: Lance Archer (2:00)
Rating: NR
Did we ever hear the name of the Created Wrestler? I think Victim is his first name. Great seeing Archer back as I’m not going to lie, I missed the big man. Now about Powerhouse Hobbs and Miro…
Backstage footage is shown of Dustin Rhodes and Keith Lee issuing a challenge to Swerve Strickland and his Mogul Affiliates. It’s a tag match Dustin and Lee want for next week as Swerve accepted the challenge.
MATCH 4: SAMMY GUVERRA VS ACTION ANDRETTI
Andretti tries getting Sammy with a rollup but it doesn’t work. Andretti sends Sammy crashing over the ropes and to the outside, face first! Andretti sends Sammy into the barricades. Andretti connects with a springboard clothesline to Sammy as the action returns inside the ring. Sunset flip attempt by Sammy that gets countered by Andretti into a falcon arrow for a near fall. Andretti follows Sammy outside as Sammy was trying to catch a breather. Sammy tries for a back suplex but it’s reversed by Andretti. Andretti connects with a 450 splash from the side apron as we head into our last set of ad breaks. Ad breaks with only six minutes of programming left? Come on man! We are back as Sammy spiked Andretti to the canvas and goes for a pin attempt. Somehow Andretti kicked out as Sammy climbs to the top and misses his shooting star press as Andretti moves out the way. Andretti from off the ropes and a dropkick to Sammy now. Pin attempt made as Sammy kicks out! Both men linked to the wrist as they trade strikes. Sammy connects with knee strikes, thrust kick, and another knee strike! Andretti counters Sammy after coming off the ropes to connect with an insane counter that seemed like a flipping rock bottom. Andretti connects with a big springboard senton but it gets him a near fall. Running dropkick to Sammy as Andretti climbs to the top and is clotheslined by Daniel Garcia, behind the referee’s back as Sammy takes advantage with the GTH to end this one.
Winners: Sammy Guverra (9:00)
Rating: **
A fun, highflying mixed match mixed with some technical aspects. It was staying strong for me until two minutes into the match, AEW said they were taking their last commercial break. At this point you had 6 going on 5 minutes remaining for Programming. That right there just lost a whole point for me. Great to see Andretti back on television but they’ve slipped on him within recent weeks. I’d love it if they could continue to build on what they established for the young man weeks back. Only way to do that is by having him get more tv time. Worst case scenario, feature him more on RING OF HONOR programming. Another point lost for creativity. I explain more in my review at the end.
End of Show
For more great talk of all things wrestling and beyond, be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow Enjoy the weekend y’all!
THE FINAL SCORE: REVIEW
AVERAGE
So this weeks’ RAMPAGE was really a two-match show. I’m okay with that as I’ve been saying for weeks now that RAMPAGE should be operated in a way where the focus is on two matches and build around those matches. It was smart how Bucks were used as the lure to get the viewer to stick around. After that though? Really wasn’t a reason to stick around as even with the main event match, you were cheated by a few minutes due to commercials. RAMPAGE as of late has become more and more like a show where you’re not going to be sad you missed an episode. That’s because nothing major or significant happens. It’s being treated too much like a standalone series and needs more storyline crossovers from DYNAMITE, good one’s mind you! Not that Toni Storm and Saraya stuff that’s going on. I’m very surprised guys like Wardlow, and Hobbs haven’t been featured more on this show. At the same time, reminding us of The Elite and House of Black feud, Dustin Rhodes and Keith Lee versus Swerve is a nice touch. With the exception of Lancer Archer vs that CAW, every match this week had some type of shenanigan or trickery finish which isn’t cool in my book. For more great talk of all things wrestling and beyond, be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow Enjoy the weekend y’all!